Modern Applied Science; Vol. 8, No. 6; 2014 ISSN 1913-1844 E-ISSN 1913-1852 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 53 Accessement of Wind Power Potential in Katsina State from Meteorological Data M. A. Balarabe 1,2 , K. Abdullah 1 , M. N. M. Nawawi 1 & Fuyi Tan 1 1 School of physics, University Sains Malaysia 2 Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, Katsina Correspondence: M. A. Balarabe, Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, 2052 Katsina, Nigeria. Tel: 234-806-814-7816. E-mail: mukhtarbalarabea@gmail.com Received: August 12, 2014 Accepted: August 23, 2014 Online Published: September 4, 2014 doi:10.5539/mas.v8n6p53 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/mas.v8n6p53 Abstract For the need to exploit and optimize the use of all available sources of energy in providing available power supply for industrial and economic development of the rural communities. Nigerian government has initiated some programs in 2005 to look into the potentialities of wind as a means for power generation. In order to complement this effort, surface synoptic wind speed observation data (2008-2013) from NOAA-NCDC for Nigeria was used to analyze the wind characteristics of katsina (13.007’ N; 07.661’ E; Altitude 05060.0 m; Air density 1.18 kg/m3). A modified form of an empirical relation for calculating wind power density and energy with height was proposed and uses to analyze site wind profile and the efficiency of electricity production for power generation in Katsina. The measurements have been performed for a period of 6years from January to December in order to cover all seasonal variation of the wind condition. The results showed that katsina falls under Class 7 of the International system of wind classification by recording annual values of mean wind speed extrapolated at 50m height to be in the range of 3.5-5.5 m/s, average power density of 160.6 W/m 2 and an average of 29.6Kwh/year of energy can be produced for each month of a year respectively, making the site very suitable for wind turbine applications for power generation. Keywords: Katsina, wind energy, wind power, wind speed 1. Introduction The concern over the production of adequate electricity to drive economic developments is a global issue. However increased dependence of the fossil fuel based sources of energy call for an urgent need to develop and generate the needed electricity from environmentally friendly and non-toxic sources (Mahyoub & Ahmed. 2012; Ajayi, Fagbenle, and Katende 2011). Other reasons may include the need for basic social amenities in the rural areas to solve the problem of rural-urban migration (Bakwa & Jabil, 2002). Based on that Nigeria’s first attempt to evaluate its energy potential was at the energy policy conference held in Jos in August 1978. This conference considered among other things the non-conventional energy sources like solar and wind energy which were recommended for incorporation in to national energy policy (Bakwa & Jabil, 2002). Therefore this need to adequate optimize the use of all available sources of energy has led to various efforts at measuring and assessing the potentials and viability of generating electricity from renewable energy resources of which wind is a veritable source (Ajayi et al. 2011). While a variety of definitions might be given to wind speed depending on the area of interest and application. This paper will use the definition suggested by Estherhuyse (1986). Who defined wind as long scale movement of air mass in the atmosphere. This movement of air is created on global heating primarily by differential solar heating of the earth atmosphere. Air in equatorial is heated more strongly than at other latitudes, causing it becomes higher and denser (sirisena etal, Alfa, & Bakwa 1991). This thermal imbalance in air set up air in motion simply known as wind. Since every object which is in motion possess kinetic energy, certainly there is energy in the wind and it can be captained and converted into useful mechanical energy such as pumping of water from deep wells and boreholes or in to electric energy in the remote areas (sirisena et al., 1991). Harnessing wind as an energy source hard its merits and flows, wind energy source is reproducible, technology required for its harvesting has already been developed, no environmental pollution and no thermal load to the environment (Bakwa & Jabil, 2002; Mahyoub & Ahmed, 2012).